1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a method of milking a dairy animal, in particular a cow, and more particularly to a method of milking a dairy animal that measures a milking parameter representative of the milk flow from the teat that is milked, and ending the milking of the teat in dependence on the measured milking parameter and on the deactivation threshold and on a lapse of a last-teat period calculated based on historical data regarding the dairy animal being milked.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a method and device for ending or deactivating the milking of an animal, in the case of cows often designated as the milking of the last or fourth quarter, wherein this milking technique comprises the accelerated ending of the milking because of the fact that, during the last quarter, a comparison different from the previous quarters takes place. It has been found that the method takes too little into account the individual animal. From U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,008 it is only known to provide a previously established deactivation threshold. Additionally, from U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,008 it is only known to raise the deactivation threshold.
It has been found that the known method is not optimal for enhancing the efficiency of the milking.